US Homeless To Go Hungry As Food Stamps Are Cut | UK Progressive

US Homeless To Go Hungry As Food Stamps Are Cut | UK Progressive talks of hunger arising from the current and future Republican policy to cut food stamps. Who will fill the gap to meet their need?

“Churches and charities can take up the slack,” harrumphed Robert Royal on an episode of Moyers & Company not long ago. Royal runs The Faith and Reason Institute, a right-wing group loosely affiliated with conservative elements in the Catholic Church. 

But Royal, an avowed supporter of the Gekko-Galt Romney-Ryan ticket, was shocked into dumbfounded silence when Sister Simone Campbell, organizer of the “Nuns on the Bus” anti-poverty tour, pointed out that Bread for the World did a study and found that every last cathedral, church, synagogue, mosque, temple and meeting hall in America would have to raise an additional $50,000 every year for 10 years to compensate for the GOP plan to eliminate food stamps. 

All he could muster was a half-hearted, sort-of but not really embarrassed, “Of course we need to take care of the needy” but never explained how “we” will do that if food stamps go away.

I know my little neighborhood church has trouble meeting its current expenses. We cannot take on more than some occasional food collection drives -- which fill today's food stamp gaps, not those scheduled for October and into the future. Not fair to the poor. What will be the consequences?

"How do we change the world?"

"Change your heart, your life, your community, the system -- in that order."
~ Philip Berrigan's answer to Frank Kromkowski's question -- "How do we change the world?", 1976, Helena, Montana [wisdom hidden in a morning glory]

Republicans don't help the little guy

Thanks to caller Robert, Thom Hartmann renewed his challenge for people to provide one piece of legislation offered by Republicans to help real people -- not corporations, not rich people. Thom said that he had earlier posed a similar question to then Congressman Tom Tancredo. "Can you please name for me one piece of legislation that the Republicans have sponsored that has become law whose primary beneficiary was the average person in America as opposed to a corporation or the rich?" He couldn't.

Thom said he had a contest for the better part of two years and to the best of his knowledge no one ever came up with an answer. Something that primarily benefits the middle class, the working poor, or people out of work altogether? Can you? Think about it.

A Question to ask McCain Supporters

"Are you aware that John McCain has nine houses and wears $520 shoes?" I'd love to see their reactions, dear blog friends! And hear what they have to say.

(Thanks to Rachel Maddow for the information.)

As a followup question you might ask did they know if he was dating wife #2 while wife #1 was hospitalized. Character, integrity, Republicans? (Mind you, this doesn't let John Edwards off the hook, but at least he is still with Elizabeth.) Ah, men!

Obama loyalty pledge

Rachel Maddow on her Air America Radio show was rightly outraged that Obama is requiring that those attending the South Carolina Obama-Oprah event sign a pledge that they will vote for Obama in 2008 -- this before they even hear the candidate!! Isn't this a Republican tactic?

Economy or Society First?

"Does the economy exist to serve society or does society exist to serve the economy?"
-- Thom Hartmann, various times

Thom discusses variations on this topic frequently. Check out his Air America Radio show's descriptions. Essentially, however, the liberal point of view is that America and America's government should be focused on "We the People" -- and not on corporations and the betterment of the economy over the rights of everyday working Americans.

Americans oblivious to military bases

This Sunday, when the Granny Peace Brigade held a teach-in at St. Mark's Church in the Bowery on the topic of Closing Guantanimo and other US military bases on foreign soil, it became clear that many Americans aren't aware of the abundance of such bases depleting our treasuring and [further] damaging our reputation abroad. There are over a thousand bases in 130 countries, AND there are fourteen permanent bases in Iraq. Of these, The Friends ask, "If the U.S. is ultimately leaving Iraq, why is the military building 'permanent' bases?" We should all be asking this question of our Congress: 202-224-3121.

Some questions about money and 9/11 truth

Question: Was the claim of 9/11 rescue worker James Zadroga's family denied out of validity or for monetary reasons? Is New York City more intent on avoiding possible law suits from many 9/11 workers who worked at an environmentally toxic site without proper protection than it is with 9/11 truth? Following the City's medical examiner's statement that Zadroga died from injecting pills, contradicting an earlier report from a NJ medical examiner, the shocked family sought out Dr. Michael Braden who stated that there were traces of cellulose, plastic material, and glass fiber in Zadogra's lungs and no evidence of needle track marks. The family says their concern is not about money but about getting his name on the 9/11 memorial. Still, a case surely can be made that the City was negligent in not providing hazmat protection. And wasn't it?